KEEPING WARM 
and production of cotton, introduced 
into Japan by the late sixteenth century, 
became widespread during the eight- 
eenth. Cotton was found to be much 
warmer than hemp and soon became the 
preferred material, thickened in various 
ways to make it warmer. Both adults 
and children wore kimonos and jackets 
padded with cotton batting. To give 
garments added strength and warmth, a 
quilting stitch, called sashiko , could be 
used either on a single layer of cloth or 
to join two or more layers of cotton. In 
northern Japan, where the climate pre- 
cluded the cultivation of cotton, the 
people made cotton cloth from used 
kimonos or rags. They tore these into 
strips and wove the strips together into a 
heavier and more durable cloth. In Ja- 
pan today, those who wear Japanese- 
style clothes have the advantage of wool 
kimonos; they may also wear shawls 
over their kimonos and, underneath, 
long underwear and sweaters. 
The Japanese once made use of paper 
clothing, or kamiko , which was origi- 
nally worn by Buddhist priests (since 
paper garments could be seamed with 
paste, no woman had to touch them). By 
the end of the seventeenth century, 
kamiko were also worn by ordinary peo- 
ple, especially to ward off the cold on 
journeys. The paper was coated with 
persimmon tannin to make it strong and 
waterproof. The seventeenth-century 
haiku poet Matsuo Basho mentions car- 
rying a kamiko when he started off on 
his journey to the far north: “Setting out 
with nothing but what I could bear 
myself, I carried a stout paper raincoat 
to keep out the chill at night.” 
Various kinds of rushes and rice straw 
were once used for raincoats, footwear, 
and hats. Besides being water-repellent, 
the hollow straws provided some insula- 
tion against the cold. In rural areas, 
sedge hats are still worn as protection 
against sun, rain, and snow. In earlier 
periods the Japanese wore many kinds 
of hats as signs of rank and for protec- 
tion in battle or against the elements, 
and hoods were worn for warmth by 
women, old men, and priests (who 
shaved their heads). But today the Japa- 
nese rarely wear hats except to shade 
themselves from the sun or to keep off 
precipitation. While Westerners concen- 
trate on keeping their extremities warm, 
donning hats, scarfs, gloves, and warm 
socks when the weather turns chilly, the 
Japanese seem unconcerned about such 
items of clothing. 
Japanese tradition places the seat of a 
person’s being — the spirit, the emotions, 
the breath — in the belly ( hara ): if the 
belly is kept warm, the person will be 
warm and healthy. The haramaki, or 
belly band, often a knitted wool tube 
about six inches wide, keeps the abdo- 
men warm. Once more common, hara- 
maki are worn today primarily by work- 
men who are exposed to the cold, by 
pregnant women, and by children. In 
fact, haramaki are built into children’s 
pajamas. Another device for heating the 
belly or chest, used since the beginning 
of the eighteenth century, is the kairo, a 
small container filled with smoldering 
ashes, which is worn tucked under the 
sash or into the folds of the kimono. In 
earlier periods, a heated pumice stone 
wrapped in rags was similarly used. 
The Japanese warm their insides as 
well. In winter they drink hot tea, of 
which there are many types, almost con- 
tinuously. The tea not only warms the 
middle, but the handleless teacup 
warms the hands as well. And while all 
cultures with cold winters have their 
own special hot drinks for cold nights, 
In winter, women at a hot spring resort 
in Beppu, on the island of Kyushu, are 
comfortable in light clothing and bare 
feet. The unlined striped cotton 
kimono, hanten jacket, and wooden 
clogs are issued by their inn. 
